Student dies after jaw surgery, family alleges medical negligence

TNN | May 6, 2019, 04.44 AM IST

PUNE: The family of a 19-year-old college student has lodged a complaint application with police against doctors of a hospital alleging medical negligence following a jaw correction surgery, leading to her death.

The girl died in the Chinchwad-based hospital on May 4. “She was taken into the operation theatre for the jaw correction surgery around 12pm on April 23. She was brought back from the theatre after nearly 12 hours. But since then, the approach of the hospital management appeared fishy,” said the girl's uncle.

The girl’s father is a farmer and the family lives at Nere village in Mulshi taluka, a few kilometres from Hinjewadi. She was the second among three siblings and was a first year BA student.

“The girl has been for the last one-and-a-half years undergoing treatment for misaligned teeth and molars from a dentist. She underwent tooth extraction and had braces in the past. The same dentist had advised and conducted the surgery on her to correct the jaw,” her uncle added.

“The girl’s condition was serious when she was brought out from the operation theatre almost 12 hours after the surgery. She was moved into the hospital's intensive care unit. However, she was immediately put on the ventilator support,” he said.

“The doctors in the hospital told us that she died of some complications around 9am on May 4. We refused to accept her body because it was a clear case of medical negligence. We filed the complaint with the police around 1.30pm on May 4,” he added.

Rajendra Nikalaje, inspector of the Nigdi police, told TOI that they have received a complaint application from the girl’s parents.

“We have registered a case of accidental death. The cause of the death can be ascertained after we receive the post-mortem report. Our probe is on,” he added.

The police would have to seek the opinion from the state government-appointed medical expert committee before initiating any action. “The post mortem has been done at YCM hospital in Pimpri. The report is awaited,” an officer said.

The hospital administration could not be reached for comments despite repeated phone calls.